Holmquist News and Notes
February 8th - February 12th
Kimberly's Message
Shout Outs
- Our campus had over 435 Parent Surveys completed. We had the 2nd highest parent surveys returned! Way to go Ms. Moran for making this happen!
- I would also like Ms. Matinrazm for helping Ms. Moran with copies.
- Ms. Dabney shared a poem about Langston Hughes with her colleagues and gave them suggestions on how to use it to instruct students and she is also planning Young Children's Week.
- Day, Esparza, Quezada, Pitrucha, McKenzie, McElyea, Gonzalez, Purdy, Vallarta, Cavazos, and Hudson for attending TCEA and taking the next steps to help move our campus toward 21st Century Learning.
- Mr. Endsley for sharing a Language App with teachers in order to help students and for updating the marquee with TOY information.
- Ms. Craig for jumping right in and getting things done.
- Ms. Upshaw for gathering items for Amy W. gift baskets and delivering it to her Monday.
- Ms. Monroy for starting her girls club.
- Thanks to Ms. Cheng for always being recognized as an ART teacher that consistently uses STEM in her classroom and starting her ART club.
Istation winners- Congratulations to the following teachers! Thanks Ms. Arenstein for encouraging reading and organizing the IStation challenge. IStation is a great resource for parents to use to improve reading skills. Encourage your parents!
1st Place Dennison AM- 3480 minutes,
2nd Place Baez-2798 minutes,
3rd Place Harris 2220 minutes
Ms. Gloria has done an excellent job transforming the end of our hallway into an interactive learning center! from Ms. Dennison
Ms. Nyan and Ms. Amador for helping with behaviors and supporting substitutes this week.
Ms. Solis for helping Ms. Craig with class coverage
Aimee for covering lunch duty and being avaialble
Ms. Eberle, Ms. Guerra, Ms. Moreno, and Ms. Morrison for stepping up and covering anything that needed to be covered.
Ms. McKenzie for planning the 100th Day Parade before she left.
Ms. Cortinas for supporting Ms. Alfred and helping everyone before she leaves.
Ms. Rodriquez and her team for organizing the Smile field trip for our students. They received a lot of postive feedback.
Special thanks to everyone who attended the Social Studies Lead Teacher meeting. They learned a lot of great information. Payton, Baez-Salazar, Tobon, Polk, Rosa, Glover, Shirkey, Sanchez, Stewart, Ortiz, Bourda, Arenstein, and Vallarta.
Weekly Calendar
Monday, February 8, 2016
EDC 102
Chinese New Year
Counselor's Meeting 2 p.m.
Staff Meeting All Staff - No Tutorials Monday
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
EDC 103
Mardi Gras Celebration - Stop by the Teacher's Lounge
Holmquist U - 3:40 p.m.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
EDC 104
Ash Wednesday
ABC Meeting - 3:40
Hospitality Meeting 3:40
Principal Cohort Meeting
Technology Specialist Meeting
Thursday, February 11, 2016
EDC 105
Library Meeting
Free Jeans Day for Staff for completing survey
Free Dress Day for students for parent survey
ESL/ Int 9-3
REID 1 - 3:30
Friday, February 12, 2016
EDC 106
NO PDAS
Progress Reports Due at 7:30 a.m.
Telpas CTC 10 - 2
Speech/ICS Grade Check
Valentine Day Party 1:30 p.m.
Happy Birthday Ms. Riley
Happy Birthday Ms. Lisa (Cafeteria)
Saturday, February 13, 2016
Happy Birthday Ms. DeSauto
Sunday, February 14th
Happy Valentine's
Monday, February15th
Staff Development Day
Upcoming Events
- February 16th, 17th and 18th - Hummingbird Store
- February 18th - Health Fair
- February 26th - 3 Writing Samples Due
- February 26th - Go Texan Day
Hot Topics
9 Ways to be a Positive Communicator
1. Shout Praise, Whisper Criticism - This phrase comes from the original Olympic Dream Team and Detroit Pistons coaches Chuck Daily and Brendan Suhr. They won NBA Championships and an Olympic Gold medal with a lot of talent and great communication. They gained the trust of their players and built winning teams by praising in public and constructively criticizing in private. Shouting praise means you recognize someone in front of their peers and whispering criticism means you coach them to get better. Both build better people and teams.
2. Smile More - When you share a real smile it not only produces more serotonin in your brain but in the brain of the recipient of your smile. Just by smiling at someone you are giving them a dose of serotonin, an anti-depressant. Never underestimate the power of a smile. As a positive communicator you have the power to make someone feel better just by smiling.
3. Don't Complain - When you complain you lose power, effectiveness and credibility as a communicator and leader. Most of all complaining is toxic and sabotages you and your team. Complaining is like vomiting. Afterwards you feel better but everyone around you feels sick. I know it's a gross analogy but you’ll never forget it.
4. Encourage - Truett Cathy said, "How do you know if a man or woman needs encouragement? If they are breathing." We all need encouragement and positive communicators encourage and inspire others to do more and become more than they ever thought possible. Great communicators are great encouragers.
5. Spread Positive Gossip - Instead of sharing negative gossip, be the kind of communicator who spreads positive news about people. My college lacrosse teammates Mike Connelly and Johnny Heil are famous for this. Whenever you talk to them they are always praising our mutual friends. "Did you hear how awesome so and so is doing? Their kids are doing great!" They never say a negative word about anyone. They always spread the positive news and the best part is that you know when you are not around they are likely sharing something positive, not negative about you.
6. Sometimes You Have to Listen More and Talk Less - Positive communicators don't just talk. They listen. They ask questions and really listen. Research shows that when people feel like they are seen and heard there is a moistening in the eyes and yet in 90% of our conversations there is no moistening in the eyes. Positive communicators make others feel important by listening to them and truly hearing what they have to say.
7. Welcome Feedback - Positive communicators also listen to and welcome ideas and suggestions on how they can improve. They don't fear criticism. They welcome it knowing it makes them better. They send a clear signal to their team, customers, coaches, etc. that they are always willing to learn, improve and grow. Positive communicators say "I'm open. Make me better. Let's get better together."
8. Celebrate Success - Instead of focusing on what went wrong each day, positive communicators focus on what went right. They celebrate their successes, even the small ones, knowing that small wins lead to big wins.
9. Give High Fives, Handshakes, Pats on the Back, Fist Bumps and Hugs When Appropriate - Positive communication isn't just verbal. It's also physical. Several studies have demonstrated the benefits of physical contact between doctors and patients, teachers and students and professional athletes. For example in one study the best NBA teams were also the touchiest (high fives, pats on the back, hugs). In a world where physical touch has become taboo because of misuse and abuse we must remember that it is a way we humans communicate naturally and is very powerful and beneficial when done appropriately with good intention. Personally I'm a fist bumper and a hugger. When I meet people at speaking engagements I give them a choice. Bump or Hug. Whichever they are more comfortable with is great with me.
Hummingbird Class of the Week
Hummingbird of the Week
Aimee Morrison was born in Rayne, Louisiana. She is
married and has an 8 year old daughter. She has been in Alief for 15 years and the last 8 at Holmquist. She enjoys playing sports and spending time with family and friends. Her family, friends, and faith inspire her each and every day to be best person she can be. Devoted is her word because she is devoted to her work and family to get things done no matter what obstacles stand in her way.
Good Luck and Congratulations Ms. Cortinas
Ms. Castillo's 1st Grade Attendance Challenge Winners
Ms. Rios's 4th Grade Attendance Challenge Winners
TCEA Conference
ON Time Club Feb. 1 - Feb. 5- Please pick up pass from Ms. Williams. You must wear pass on the day specified which is Tuesday, February 9th .
Dennison, Tandon, Alvarez, Kutiev, Alexander, Marquez, Youssef, Nguyen, Reyna, Hite, Middleton, Polk, Tracy, Harris, Allie, Wachsberg, Chowdhurry, Owusu, Glover, Bryant, Shirkey, Serralde, Nyan, Amador, Legra, Costello, Williamson, Pitrucha, Roquemore, Kucharski, Sanchez, Chavoya, Cortinas, Ghani, Tadesse, Jackson, Carter, Bourda, Alvarado, Revenaugh, Cheng, Monroy, Foster, Ponder, Wells, Purdy, Vallarta, Gonzalez, Hudson, McElyea, Arenstein, Siddiqui, Moreno, Cavazos, Eberle, Sandoval, Dennis, Matinrazm, Morales, R. Stewart, Argueta, Maciel, Gresham, Moran, Martinez, Phillips, Valdez
Perfect Attendance for January - Thank you for being present daily! We appreciate you being here! We hope you enjoyed your breakfast.
Jackson
Baez-Salazar
Carter
Reyna
Sallee
Polk
Solis
E. Rodriguez
Matinrazm
Glover
Arenstein
Day
McElyea
Chowdhury
Vallarta
Pitrucha
Hudson
Costello
Cortinas
Cavazos
Rios
Moreno
Esparza
Tadesse
Spellicy
Valdez
V. Rodriguez
Moran
Amador
Jones
Maciel
Revenaugh
Alvarado
Gresham
Newsome
Inyang